Imperfect Legacies
by Weasley's Revenge
Summary: If you went into the old attic you would find lots of things. Old journals, long forgotten sweaters, an NCIS cap with a few bullet holes. You would also find a box, and in that box you would find the tale of a lifetime. Tiva.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **Yay Tiva! I have a very extensive family tree in my head, but the only background you need is Tony and Ziva have three kids, and Penelope is the daughter of their oldest son.

If you went into the old attic you would find lots or things. Old journals, long forgotten sweaters, an NCIS cap with a few bullet holes. You would also find a box—simple, old. It would seem to be nothing of consequence, just another tattered remnant collected over two long-shared lives. But that box contains a thousand memories. The maybes, and the hopes, and the love collected over fifty long stretching years. It contains the story of two who eventually became five.

She would open the box and be instantly entranced by the smell, a strange combination of sandalwood, coffee, and something exotic that would always remind her of them.

Anyone else would call it trash, but Penelope DiNozzo loved all of it. She could see her grandparents through their own eyes. She tried to understand what each trinket had meant: a Star of David, a purple scarf, each had its own story she was sure. The pictures helped her to piece some things together.

They had pictures stretching all the way back to the year they'd met. Most of the older ones were higher quality than the later ones and starred people wearing NCIS garb: photos that had no doubt been taken on a crime scene and then stolen back. Pictures of her grandmother young and smiling, her grandfather laughing at a joke long since forgotten. The next pictures were from the wedding: simple and elegant. Her grandmother being walked down the isle by Gibbs, a man she had never met but had heard so much about it felt as if she had.

More pictures from the wedding: the wedding party all young and smiling. Tim and Abby, and Jenny and Gibbs all enjoying the lightened atmosphere. Next came her grandmother swollen with a child, sticking her tongue out at the camera. And then there was her grandfather holding a small pink child. The back of the photo claimed that it was _Tony and Michael_--her father.

The photos continued in progression: more children, first steps, birthdays, and parties. Each striking her through with happiness. All of them collected painstakingly through the years by one woman who never wanted to forget what she had found.

They had left a legacy that no one was ready to forget and, would be preserved forever in these perfect snapshots of their imperfect lives.

**AN:** I hope you liked it. As always drop me a line if you have the time. Also updates are coming for Alphabet Soup and *hopefully* Fandomized by Sunday. If they're not, you can start poking me.


	2. Star of David

**AN: **I was persuaded by some persistent reviewers that this story deserved continuation, so here it is.These are not in chronological order and will be updated sporadically as the mood strikes me. This is the story of the Star of David in the box.

It happened to them a lot—stupid arguments that escalated. It started as a simple thing. He wanted a Priest to reside over their wedding, and she wanted a Rabi, but it couldn't end there. The issue became a mighty battle—a holy war of sorts. After a week of constant bickering, she threw her engagement ring at him in a fit of rage and started packing.

She stormed out into the deserted night, and he just stared after her dumbfounded. She showed up at Jenny and Gibbs' house at eight o'clock. Jenny was holding a very sleepy looking Kate on her hip. The small child instantly perked up, "Aunty Ziva!"

"Ziva what's the matter?" Jenny picked up on Ziva's emotions.

"I-I need a place to stay." She was close to tears.

"Oh, Ziva, what happened?" Jenny's voice was laced with her concern as she let Ziva into the house.

"It can wait until little Katie is in bed," she turned to the small child and kissed her on the cheek. "Hello, pretty girl." She started to giggle and entwined her small fingers in the Israeli's mess of curls.

Kate kissed her Aunty Ziva on the nose, "Be happy, Aunty Zee." The intuition of the three-year-old astounded her.

"I'll do my best Katie." She gave her another kiss before straightening up. Jenny gave her an appraising glance, probably judging if it was safe to leave Ziva alone, apparently she thought it was'nt because she called for Gibbs.

"Jethro!" He appeared from upstairs.

"Yeah, Jen," he started to come down the steps and saw Ziva, "Ziva, what—"

"Jethro, please show her to the guest room while I tuck Katie in." She gave him a peck on the cheek before instructing Kate to say goodnight to her father.

Jenny had just disappeared upstairs when he grabbed Ziva's bag, "What was it about this time?" He saved no time for pleasantries.

"I do not feel like talking about it." He nodded in understanding and led her upstairs to a spare room.

"Jenny and I are here if you do Ziva." Feeling he had said what needed to be said he left her to her own devices.

She kept the lights on but shut the door, changed into the pajamas she had brought, and collapsed on the bed. It could have been minutes or it could have been hours, but some time later she heard a knock on the door. It opened, before she could answer it, and Jenny walked in. She was holding a cup of something steaming. Ziva quickly tried to wipe the moisture from her eyes, but could tell that they were still red.

"Here," she gave Ziva the cup as some kind of peace offering. Ziva gave the liquid a tentative sniff, it was Earl Grey tea. "It always made me feel better," Jenny offered her a kind smile. "What happened this time?"

Jennifer Sheppard was her best friend, the bond they shared went deep, and Ziva was sure that was the only reason she could bear to tell her what she was about to. "He—he is a pig," her voice was watery from the crying. "We were talking about the we—wedding," at this her voice quavered with a suppressed sob, "He wanted a Priest, and I wanted a Rabi, and—and we both said things we should not have! I left and, oh everything is so wrong!" She started going into hysterics.

"Shhh shhh, Ziva calm down. You two fight all the time it's okay," Jenny gently patted her friends shoulder.

"No, it's not _okay_ it will never be _okay_ we're too different. It will never work. You don't know what he said—what I said." She started to sob in earnest.

Jenny let her cry a little before she spoke, "Ziva Hannah David, look at me," Jenny grabbed her chin and tilted her eyes upward, "If I know anything, I know that you and Anthony DiNozzo love each other. It will all work out." Ziva started to shake her head no, "_C'est la vie_ Ziva. Always remember, this too shall pass."

"You stole that from someone," Ziva accused a bit more light-heartedly than she was feeling.

"Yes, yes I did. Now sleep Ziva it will work itself out." Jenny got up and left Ziva feeling only moderately better about this SNAFU.

The team had the weekend off, and it was one of the longest weekends of her life. She spent most of her time fighting off the urge to call him, and playing with little Katie, but on Monday work resumed as usual.

They managed to ignore each other for the better part of the morning, but by lunch the tension was palpable. They both went to leave the bullpen at the same time. She started to talk but he put a finger to her lips and handed her and envelope. She stood there stunned for a moment as he continued to walk away. She opened the envelope and found a letter:

_Dear Z,_

_ I get it now. It's part of who you are. _

_ Sorry,_

_ Tony_

The envelope also contained a gleaming golden Star of David and her engagement ring. She was taken aback by the sound of his voice behind her, "Take me back, Ziva?" He sounded so vulnerable in that one moment, and she whirled around and kissed him. The kind of kiss that made everything just a little bit better, al l of the colors just a little brighter.

"Of course," He took the ring from her, got down on one knee and restored the engagement ring to the place it would lay for the rest of their lives.

**AN:** I hope that you liked it. Please leave me a review.


	3. Hats

**AN:** The wedding/final resolution of the religion issue is coming next. In the mean time, please enjoy this fluffy little insight into a mother-daughter relationship.

Background: Tony and Ziva have three kids in order from oldest to youngest: Michael Thomas (I named him before the whole Rivkin incident), Tali Ann, and Amy Marie.

A thirteen-year-old Tali David started to giggle as her mother showed her yet another blouse. "Seriously, Mom just give it up already."

"Not for you, but I rather like it," She put it up in front of herself and studied her reflection in the mirror.

"Okay it looks nice—on you," she corrected herself there was no way she would be caught dead in something so…revealing. She and her mother had different views on the correct amount of skin to show.

"This should be it then, do you have your things?" Ziva smiled at her daughter.

"Yeah, Mom, let's get out of here." They went to the check out counter and Tali got sidetracked. "Look!" She was wearing a logger's hat and started to giggle, "These hats are very amusing."

"No, kidding," Ziva pulled on a hat that made her look like one of the newsy children from a movie Tony had showed her ("_Sketchy plot, but it has a lot of great songs. Directed by Kenny Ortega who directed all three High School musicals…")._ She took off the hat that made her feel very silly indeed. Instead she joined her daughter in the wearing of furry logger's hats. They both looked at their reflections and started to giggle. Tali pulled out her cell phone and snapped a quick picture. Next they moved onto some red hats that looked like they belonged in the twenties, followed by teal fedoras.

"After they finished laughing, Ziva managed to talk, "I believe I am going to buy this for your father." Tali simply smiled, and nodded indulgently at her mother.

"He'll look fierce." She loved these mother-daughter shopping trips.

**AN:** I hope that you all liked it. The response to the first two chapters was phenomenal, and I only hope that all of the wonderful support continues. Oh, and you get bonus points if you leave any ideas for future chapters, I will try and work them in.


	4. Pregnancy Pictures

**AN: **So…religion is coming later. In the meantime, enjoy pregnant Ziva, I'm having fun experimenting with Mama Z.

Ziva David was busying herself with the packing of an overnight bag. She was in the process of folding a small yellow onesie she would take to the hospital when Tony interrupted her. "Z, we need to take a picture."

"Of what, Tony, my large—butt," she had stopped swearing since she had become pregnant as if her vulgarity would somehow affect the baby.

"Sweet cheeks you're not fat—"

"I just can't see my feet," she teased him lightly.

"As I was saying, you're not fat you're pregnant. Pregnant people gain weight, it's all natural." He smiled at her good naturedly and moved to kiss her on the forehead, but she stopped him.

"I do not want any photographic evidence that I ever looked like this," she fixed him with a mild glare and gestured vaguely to her bloated form.

"Now, now, we can't have that your beauty needs to be preserved for future generations," she looked up and stuck her tongue out at him as he snapped a quick picture and ran.

The flash seemed to have stunned her momentarily, but she quickly recovered. "Tony!" She ran as fast as she could, which only amounted to a slow, if vigorous, waddle. She did not care if he was the father of her child. He would have—heck—to pay for taking that picture.

**AN: **Simple and lighthearted. I hope you liked it. As always if you have the time, drop me a line. :)


	5. Sympathy Ice Cream

**AN: **This popped into my head when I wrote the last one. There is no mention of pictures or tokens so technically this is a fail…but it is still cute.

Tony DiNozzo heaved a breath as he struggled to regain his composure after chasing a suspect. He didn't seem able to catch his breath, "Think I might need to—lose a little—weight."

Ziva nodded at him, "Tony, I just had a child and I'm still in better shape than you." The reason for the running was currently pinned to the ground by her knees and she started to cuff him.

"You sure don't look like a mamma sweets, but I sure could—"

"Finish that sentence and die," Ziva's threat cut off his southern twang. "I do not think that my husband would appreciate it." She started to get him off the ground.

"Well he ain't here. I'm just sayin' if he ain't doin' the job…"

"Guess again dirtbag," Tony answered him this time.

"You alls is married?" He looked like he had just been hit with a very large very hard object.

"Yes, we are." Ziva ended that line of dialogue and proceeded to walk him back to the car.

Once they were safely situated Tony started to talk again, "The weight, Z, it isn't all my fault. It's sympathy weight."

"Yes, if "sympathy" is a new kind of ice cream."

**AN: **I hope that this was cute enough to make up for the lack of relevance.


	6. Grass Ring

**AN: **Here we go!

They were lounging on the ground, lazily enjoying the first reprieve of winter. The air was crisp and a slight breeze gently tossed her curls as the sunlight danced in her hair. He started to play with a small lock twirling it between his fingers. She sighed content to sit here in the warm sunshine with her best friend and lover.

He started to speak, "Ziva, I love you."

"I love you too, Tony," she looked at him confused by the uncharacteristic show of affection.

"What I'm trying to say—I guess—is will you marry me?" He looked nervous, and she immediately wondered if he was feeling alright, Tony DiNozzo was never nervous.

"Of course, Tony, I—"

"I don't have a ring yet, I'm so sorry about that you deserve a ring, but I couldn't wait, and I'm having the old ring cleaned—"

"Tony, I just need you," she leaned down and kissed him. He suddenly looked as if he had an idea. He reached past her a plucked a blade of grass. "Tony, what are you doing?"

He held up a finger and started to work the blade of grass into a loop. Satisfied he tied it into a knot, "Ziva David, you now have a ring." She laughed and looked down at the simple band. It was far from perfect, but to her nothing would ever compare.

**AN:** True story this happened to my parents and, my mom still has the grass ring.


	7. Birth of a Child

**AN:** Please forgive me any mistakes about the birthing process. I am not an expert by any means. Told through Tony's third person.

"Tony!" her voice is urgent as she gently prods him awake. "I think my water just broke."

He nearly jumps out of bed, "Let's go." She sits up and starts waddling to the door.

"My bag is near the door, Tony." He grabs the gym bag before putting a guiding hand on her waist and walking out to the car.

The first contractions start about ten minutes into the drive to the hospital, and he ties his best to coach her through them as he's driving. The next one comes as they are pulling into the parking lot. After it passes, they go and get Ziva situated in a room.

He goes out into the hall and pulls out his cell, dialing the familiar number. It rings twice, "it's three A.M., DiNozzo, this had better be good," Gibbs responds his voice gruffer than usual.

"Ziva's water broke. We're at the hospital now."

"How long?"

"Doctor says she probably still has six or seven more hours."

"Jenny and I'll be down in a few hours, Tony. His voice took in a more serious note, "You'll both be fine."

It was an order, one he was willing to accept, "If you say so, boss." He closed the phone cutting the connection. He'd call Abby and Tim later. He walked back into the room and Ziva started to have another contraction. She grabbed his hand tightly. This was going to be a long six hours.

6 ¼ hours later

"Alright Mrs. DiNozzo time to push," by now he's lost all feeling in his right hand, but she still squeezes it harder.

She grunts from the exertion. "It's okay Z, you can do this," he wipes the sweat from her face.

"And again," she does as the doctor orders and lets out a faint scream. "One more big push," Ziva screws up her face in concentration, and they are greeted by the cries of a newborn child.

"It's a boy! Dad, do you want to cut the umbilical cord?" Tony nods at a loss for words. "Does he have a name yet, mom?"

"Michael, Michael Thomas DiNozzo," she sounds utterly exhausted.

The nurse wraps him gently in a blue blanket before handing him to Ziva. She turns to Tony her eyes wet. He wipes her tears away with his thumb, "Why are you crying, sweet cheeks?"

"Happy tears, Tony, we have a son," she smiles.

"I'll go tell everyone," he kisses her before stooping to place a gently kiss on his son's head.

He walks into the waiting room to see Abby bouncing in her seat with Tim trying, and failing, to calm her down. Gibbs and Jenny are conversing quietly in the corner, and Ducky is reading a magazine. Abby notices him first.

"Tony! How is she? Is it a boy or a girl? What's its name?"

Tony sighs, "Ziva's fine, he's a boy, and his name is Michael Thomas DiNozzo." She engulfs him in a giant hug that throws him off balance.

"Can we see them?"

"Of course Abbs," Abby almost runs past him in her excitement. McGee stands and shakes his hand.

"Congrats, Tony, you'll make a good dad."

"Thanks Probie, but if I catch wind of Tommy and Lisa having a kid it'll be your neck," he smiles teasingly.

"What, after what Jenny did to me for 'Kathryn'," McGee shudders at the less than pleasant memory and then turns to follow Abby.

The next person to approach him is Gibbs. He takes Tony by the shoulder, "Sure you can do this DiNozzo?"

"It's a little late now, Boss."

"Good point, DiNozzo, watch out for Ziva though. I'm worried about her," Tony can tell that this is hard for the older man. Almost like becoming a grandfather.

"I got all my bases covered." Gibbs nods and then walks onward to see Ziva followed by Jenny and Ducky.

Tony is the last person to reenter the room. He stops in the doorway at the scene before him wishing he had a camera. Michael is in Ziva's arms being cooed at by Jenny, Abby, and his mother. Gibbs and McGee are conversing quietly in the corner both looking like proud Uncles, and Ducky is bustling away checking Ziva's chart. He can't help but smile. This is what it is all for. These little moments that are too perfect to be bad.

**AN: **I believe this wins the title of longest. Please leave a review. I've been feeling kind of discouraged by FF lately.


	8. Summer Wedding

**AN: **I made you wait long enough for it, but it is here. I gave them a kid, I sent Ziva shopping, I made them fight, and now they are to be wed.

To say that she is nervous would be to underestimate the situation dramatically. It's more like a terrifyingly wonderful mix of anxiety and joy. As a rule, Ziva David is generally a very calm person. She very rarely resorts to the girlish gushing that is so often emphasized in movies, but she feels she has earned this one moment of weakness. Her life is about to change forever. Within the hour she will no longer be Ziva David. She will be Ziva DiNozzo. A shudder runs through her spine. It is a scary thought.

She takes another deep breath. They are getting married in a garden in the beginning of summer. The roses are blooming and they are to be joined in holy matrimony under an arbor covered in lilacs. She is waiting inside the reception hall. He is already outside. He dress is light, but the day is surprisingly hot even inside the small room. "Ziver," Gibbs starts to approach her.

She nods unable to speak and he takes her arm. Jenny is her maid of honor Abby is her only other bridesmaid and Kate is the flower girl. Everyone else is outside set up and waiting for her. She tries to breathe and fails. He leans in and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek. His form of silent support. In a way, she is glad that her father wouldn't come. Gibbs is more of a father to her anyway. She tries to breathe again and this time has better luck.

She can hear the faint strains of the wedding march start. "Ready Ziva?" he looks as her again.

"As I will ever be," her voice is choked and nervous as they head towards the door. Everyone stands as she comes into sight, but she only has eyes for one person: Tony is waiting for her and he is smiling through his nerves. She knows this is the right decision. Before she realizes it she is at the end of the aisle.

They are being married by Ducky. It is the best compromise they could come to. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of two wonderful people. If anyone can give just cause as to why these two people should not be joined in holy matrimony speak now of forever hold your peace," he looked around, and to no one's surprise there were no objections. "Who gives this woman to be married?"

"I do," he gives her another kiss on the cheek before handing her to Ducky who leads her under the arbor. Gibbs goes and takes his spot as one of Tony's groomsman. His smile is blindingly bright. This is it. The moment she has lived her whole life for.

Ducky starts the ceremony, "Do you, Anthony DiNozzo, take Ziva David to have as your wife? To love, honor, comfort, and cherish from this day forward, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," his voice is sure and steady.

Ducky turned to her, "Do you, Ziva David, take Anthony DiNozzo to have as your husband? To love, honor, comfort, and cherish from this day forward, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," her voice is rich with the conviction of her statement.

"I believe a small sermon is in order," there is a twittering of laughter through-out the small garden, "I met Tony DiNozzo almost ten years ago, and I met Ziva David five years later. She joined our team very shortly after the death of a very close loved-one. She helped us all to heal, but none more so than Tony. I am fairly certain that I am correct in saying that it was love at first sight. It took them another four years and I am afraid to say, a particularly nasty bout of distrust to _finally_ recognize their feelings for each other. Now they are together, and I can speak for all of us when I say that I hope it stays that way," his words are greeted by another nervous twitter of laughter.

Abby steps forward and opens a leather binder, "I will be reading the poem 'When a Woman Loves a Man' by David Lehman," she clears her throat:

_When she says margarita she means daiquiri._

_When she says __quixotic__ she means __mercurial__._

_And when she says, "I'll never speak to you again,"_

_she means, "Put your arms around me from behind_

_as I stand disconsolate at the window."_

_He's supposed to know that._

_When a man loves a woman he is in New York and she is in Virginia_

_or he is in Boston, writing, and she is in New York, reading,_

_or she is wearing a sweater and sunglasses in Balboa Park and he_

_is raking leaves in Ithaca_

_or he is driving to East Hampton and she is standing disconsolate_

_at the window overlooking the bay_

_where a regatta of many-colored sails is going on_

_while he is stuck in traffic on the Long Island Expressway._

_When a woman loves a man it is one ten in the morning_

_she is asleep he is watching the ball scores and eating pretzels_

_drinking lemonade_

_and two hours later he wakes up and staggers into bed_

_where she remains asleep and very warm._

_When she says tomorrow she means in three or four weeks._

_When she says, "We're talking about me now,"_

_he stops talking. Her best friend comes over and says,_

_"Did somebody die?"_

_When a woman loves a man, they have gone_

_to swim naked in the stream_

_on a glorious July day_

_with the sound of the waterfall like a chuckle_

_of water rushing over smooth rocks,_

_and there is nothing alien in the universe._

_Ripe apples fall about them._

_What else can they do but eat?_

_When he says, "Ours is a transitional era,"_

_"that's very original of you," she replies,_

_dry as the martini he is sipping._

_They fight all the time_

_It's fun_

_What do I owe you?_

_Let's start with an apology_

_Ok, I'm sorry, you dickhead._

_A sign is held up saying "Laughter."_

_It's a silent picture._

_"I've been fucked without a kiss," she says,_

_"and you can quote me on that,"_

_which sounds great in an English accent._

_One year they broke up seven times and threatened to do it_

_another nine times._

_When a woman loves a man, she wants him to meet her at the_

_airport in a foreign country with a jeep._

_When a man loves a woman he's there. He doesn't complain that_

_she's two hours late_

_and there's nothing in the refrigerator._

_When a woman loves a man, she wants to stay awake._

_She's like a child crying_

_at nightfall because she didn't want the day to end._

_When a man loves a woman, he watches her sleep, thinking:_

_as midnight to the moon is sleep to the beloved._

_A thousand fireflies wink at him._

_The frogs sound like the string section_

_of the orchestra warming up._

_The stars dangle down like earrings the shape of grapes._

She moves back to her spot in order to a small spattering of applause. Ziva is trying to restrain a small laugh. Jenny steps forward next, "I will also be reading a poem. It is called 'Answer to a Child's Question' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge."

_Do you ask what the birds say? The Sparrow, the Dove,_

_The Linnet and Thrush say, "I love and I love!"_

_In the winter they're silent—the wind is so strong;_

_What it says, I don't know, but it sings a loud song._

_But green leaves, and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,_

_And singing, and loving—all come back together._

_But the Lark is so brimful of gladness and love,_

_The green fields below him, the blue sky above,_

_That he sings, and he sings; and for ever sings he—_

_"I love my Love, and my Love loves me!"_

It was very fitting for the setting, and she couldn't help but smile. Ducky turned to Tony, "Anthony repeat after me: I Anthony DiNozzo," he paused and Tony repeated the words, "take thee Ziva David to be my wife," Tony repeated again, "to have and to hold from this day forward," again, "for better of for worse, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do us part." A single tear starts to make its way down her cheek.

Now it is her turn, and she says every word with the same amount of conviction. Every word coming straight from the core of her being. Ducky turns to McGee who is playing the role of best man, "May I have the bride's ring?" He procures it from a pocket and hands it to Tony. "May this ring be blessed so he who gives it and she who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end. Anthony: With this ring, I thee wed," Tony places the simple band on her finger, "wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."

Ducky does the same for his ring, and she places it on his finger with loving care. "May this couple be prepared to continue to give, be able to forgive and experience more and more joy with each passing day, with each passing and Ziva, are now beginning their married life together, we hope that they may have loving assistance from their family, the constant support of friends, and a long life with good health and everlasting love. In so much as Tony and Ziva have consented to live forever together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before this company, having given and pledged their troth, each to the other, and having declared same by the giving and receiving of a ring, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Anthony, you may kiss your bride." He bends down and even though my mind realizes that this kiss will be no different than any other it still makes me nervous. I am his wife. I am Ziva DiNozzo.

As if he is reading my thoughts Ducky pronounces, "I present you with Mr. and Mrs. Anthony DiNozzo!"

**AN: **I have the entire wedding mostly planned if you want to see the reception. There is a link to Ziva's dress on my homepage. Oh and my boyfriend and I just celebrated our six month anniversary! So this is for him because he made me feel all fluffy and kind of inspired this.


	9. Purple Scarves

**AN: **I watched "Kill Ari(1 and 2)" last night so here you go.

The first time he saw her she was wearing a purple scarf in her hair. It added to her appeal, made her seem even more mysterious. When she took it off, she knew what she was doing, and he could not help but imagine how she would take other articles of clothing off. She was so foreign to him.

He was so used to Kate's prudishness. The first question she'd asked him was if he was having phone sex, and he would be wrong to say that it didn't come straight from left field. She was a strange creature indeed.

She knew what she did to men to. He could see it in her swagger, and the way she let her curls tumble over her shoulders just so. Her smirk was arrogant because she could tell what she was doing to him. His jaw had gone slack because slouching like that shouldn't be legal. She teased him mercilessly, undressing him with her eyes… "and even the occasional woman," and somehow it was even sexier and more sultry in her accented, alto voice.

"Now, you're teasing me," he said, and she was, but it draws his attention back to the matter at hand. Kate was dead, and Ziva David could slouch all she wanted to, but it doesn't change the fact that her agent killed Kate, and he shouldn't be thinking about a Ziva David like that.

Thoughts like that will get him in trouble, but maybe it was worth it, maybe.

**AN:** Hope you liked it. Reception will take a bit probably a few smaller ones in between.


	10. Telling Gibbs

**AN: **It has been much too long since I updated this story. Sorry about that.

He was facing a very extreme dilemma. How do you tell your boss that a member of his team has a bun in the oven? The best answer he could come up with was delicately, but he needed a way to tell the boss soon or Ziva would do it herself. That meant his only option was to man-up and simply explain to Gibbs that since he and Ziva were married there was technically nothing wrong.

It made his head hurt to think of the slap that awaited him. Maybe he could email the boss a picture of the sonogram, and then when Gibbs finally noticed Tony would simply say that he'd sent the email months ago.

All in all this was causing him much more trouble than it was worth. He feared that he was developing a stomach ulcer from all the worrying, but enough of that, he needed a get this over with.

His thought process was interrupted by a smack to the head. "Hey boss! What was that for?"

"Making Ziva tell me."

"Making…" he turned to see his wife looking mildly sheepish beside her desk. "But I was going to…"

"You took too long. I simply…expedited the process." She nodded satisfied with her excuse.

"You two are gonna have one hell of a kid," Gibbs muttered, mostly to himself.

**AN:** Please leave a review and poke me a lot if you want an update I won't be mad you'll get a faster update. I'm working on another quickie that should be up at the end of today.


	11. End of the Week

**AN:** When I'm sad I write, I currently have a case of the "last day at the beach blues." Ziva POV other pairings are Jibbs and McAbby but it isn't very obvious Jess is the McAbby child.

She takes a deep breath of the salty night air as they stroll through the languid humidity caused by the ocean. In this moment, there can be nothing wrong in the world because everything is perfect. She is holding hands with the man she loves as their children race ahead of them weaving around each other in a game with no rules. Beside them walk two other couples whose children are also romping in the warm air.

The sun is setting on their last full day in this sleepy little beach town. The sky is filled with the indescribable purples and reds that can only be achieved by an Atlantic sunset, and the half-moon that had hung over the ocean as they played was now halfway into the deep purple sky. Next to her she hears a small reverent whisper of a word _perfect_ and she can't help but agree.

The crash of the waves battles with the static roar of the cars driving past on the coastal highway a perfect mixture of white noise, and the gentle breeze blows her curls around her face tickling her skin where they touch it. It is Jenny who breaks the silence. "Caitlyn Gibbs, you weren't planning on hitting Jess were you?" The stunned eleven year old turns to her mother and tries her best to look innocent; shaking her head to the negative. "I thought not."

With the compatible silence broken small chatter breaks out. In her mind, this moment will never change. It is a perfect snapshot of their imperfect lives. A small reprieve from the trials of life—it is what a vacation should be.

**AN:** Please leave a review and make my day I have to stay with my aunt and uncle for the next week (ugh) and watch my cousin (who knows may it will spark some cute baby-fluff…) so I could use some serious cheering up. Lots of good Tiva love. Hannah.


	12. JOY of a MultiFaith Family

**AN: **Don't kill me. Please accept this fluff as a peace offering for not posting since…June. Six months is bad even for me.

Sometimes he wonders if his kids suffer some kind of identity crisis every December. He knows he probably would if he were them. Celebrating both Hanukah and Christmas had to take a toll on them in some way. He's always known it would never be easy, but when that is what it takes to keep everyone happy he does it.

He can remember the first year that they'd faced the problem of what to celebrate. He can remember the fight that had ended in tears, and the final decision to celebrate both and let the kids decide when they were old enough.

At this point, little Amy, only three, is convinced that Christmas was explicitly invented for her enjoyment, and her cherubic face always lights up when their evergreen friend enters the house. While Tali, at seven, prefers the routine of eight days of light and always begs to light the Menorah, her green eyes becoming luminous in the gentle light. Michael is a very serious nine with sandy curls that will never lay quite right. He loves decorating the tree with his father and spinning his dreidel with his mother.

All of the children know that this is the year they finally get to decide what to celebrate. They have anticipated it their entire lives—the only problem is they don't want to choose. After thirteen years of Christmahanukah, Michael cannot imagine this season without the Menorah _and_ the midnight church service. Eleven year old Tali is much the same unable to comprehend a winter without horrible chocolate wrapped in foil and a completely un-kosher ham. Even at seven Amy knows that she loves both the ritual of lighting the Menorah, and waking up much too early on Christmas day to choose between them.

It is the day after thanksgiving when they gather around the dining room table to decide. Tony looks at all of his children and asks the simple question. "Are we celebrating Christmas or Hanukah this year?"

They look at each other first before saying in unison, "Yes."

He gives them a confused glance. Michael speaks up, "We want to keep celebrating both. It's become a tradition."

Tony and Ziva start to laugh. Their children want to continue to be a multi-faith family. It might be hard, but it is so inescapably _them_.

**AN:** Not going to lie the tweet, "The "J" on the neighbors' light-up "JOY" decoration just burnt out. A multi-faith family perhaps?" inspired this entire thing. Merry ChristmaHanuKwazikuh!


	13. The End

**AN:** Here it is…

**2010**

Tony walked up behind his wife of five years. Their two children were down for a nap, and she was cleaning out one of the old desks organizing things when she started to smile as she pulled out a small box from the largest drawer. They were in the process of moving from their cramped apartment to a nice house just outside of the city—a house with a yard and an attic—a house to raise their young family.

He wrapped careful arms around her waist cherishing the soft smile she flung at him over her shoulder. "Hey, sweet cheeks." He placed a less than chaste kiss just below her ear. "Why don't you take a break from packing and," he placed another open-mouthed kiss on her neck, "help me with something in the bedroom."

"Look what I found." She held up the box for his inspection.

"It's a box," he noted ever one for stating the obvious.

"Not just any box, it's _our_ box."

"I was unaware we had a box. When did we get this box?" He queried.

"It was a wedding gift from my Aunt Netty—you know the one you threatened—it's a memory box. We were supposed to fill it with pictures and trinkets that symbolize our love. I had forgotten about it. I haven't put anything in it since… Tali was born. We've been so busy." She flipped open the lid to inspect the things hidden inside.

He stilled her hands as they went to lift the bundle out. His own hand reached inside the box and plucked out something small. He held it up for her examination, "You kept the grass ring?"

She nodded and smiled at him. He smiled back at her entranced with his curly-haired beauty.

Ziva lifted the bundle of things out of the box, and they began to flip through the pictures in companionable silence. She broke it with a sigh, "I'm going to start keeping up with the box again."

**2055**

Penelope DiNozzo called out to her grandmother as she made her way down the steps from the attic. She found her Grammy Ziva sitting on the front porch still dressed in her clothes from the funeral. The eight-year-old offered to box to the shriveled older woman, "Grammy, I found a box in the attic."

Ziva let a small look of shock cross her face. It was their memory box. She felt the tears come and didn't try to stop them; she had just lost her husband of fifty years. She patted her lap as an offering to her granddaughter.

"Penny, do you know what this is?" She asked after the young girl had settled into her lap.

Penelope shook her head to the negative. "It is a memory box. It has all of the memories your Pappy and I had together. Do you want me to tell you the story?"

The small child nodded to the affirmative, and Ziva began to recount their story. Using the objects in the box as props.

It was cathartic—the retelling of their life together. She knew she didn't have long until she joined him wherever he was, but here and now recounting the story of their love to their granddaughter, she felt whole. As the words left her lips and eased her pain, she realized they weren't the perfect family, and never had been. But what they had had been perfect for them, and that was what counted.

**AN:** This story is officially over. Eleven moments in their lives together; two moments with their granddaughter; one burnt-out author. :) So as always when I wrap up a story I would be much obliged if you answered the following survey:

1) Favorite chapter. 2) Least favorite chapter. 3) Improvements I could make (Writing style etc.)

Oh and please go check out my new story "Broken Bird" it's a different fandom (That 70s Show) but it would make sense even if you've never watched the show. (AKA I'm desperate… and I know it)

Thanks for sticking with it. Hannah


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